Foods to Avoid for High Cholesterol

Avoiding foods that contain unhealthy fats is one of the primary treatment strategies for a high cholesterol level. Three types of dietary fat can drive up your cholesterol level: saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol itself. Figuring out what foods to avoid on a heart-healthy diet can be challenging. A bit of know-how and practice, however, eases your way to making healthy choices for your cholesterol-lowering nutrition plan.

Organ Meats

Organ meats top the list when it comes to high cholesterol content. A 3-ounce serving of pan-fried beef liver, for example, contains 324 milligrams of cholesterol — far more than the recommended limit of 200 milligrams for the entire day. In addition to liver, avoid sweetbreads, tripe, kidneys, chitterlings, giblets, brain and gravy or pâté made from organ meats.

Animal Meats

All animal meat contains cholesterol and saturated fat. Although the amount of cholesterol per serving in various types of animal meat is roughly equivalent, the saturated fat content varies. Saturated fat matters because it raises your blood cholesterol level more than any other component of your diet, according to the National Institutes of Health. Avoid cuts of meat that are not labeled "lean" or "extra lean." These cuts of meat contain roughly 80 milligrams of cholesterol and 1.7 to 3.9 grams of saturated fat per 3-ounce serving. Choose meats labeled "select" rather than "choice" or "prime" because "select" cuts have the least fat by weight. Bypass meat with large amounts of visible fat or heavy marbling. When choosing poultry, avoid duck and goose; opt for skinless chicken or turkey instead. Although flavorful, sausage, hot dogs, bacon and other processed meats should also be avoided.

Eggs

NIH recommends that you limit the number of eggs in your diet to two per week if you have a high cholesterol level. Hard-boiled or scrambled egg whites are a healthy alternative to whole eggs because the yolk contains nearly all of the fat in an egg. Remember that eggs in baked goods, sauces and condiments also contribute to your dietary cholesterol intake.

Whole-Milk Dairy Products

Milk, cheese and other dairy products are good sources of protein, vitamins and minerals. Avoid whole milk and whole-milk dairy products, however, because of their high fat content. Opt instead for reduced-fat or nonfat varieties of milk and cheese. As a substitute for butter, try olive oil or nut butter on your bread.

Convenience Foods

Fast food and processed snacks typically contain high levels of one or more unhealthy fats. Cholesterol-elevating trans fats are particularly common in snack foods. Avoid convenience foods while on a cholesterol-lowering diet. If you occasionally visit a fast food restaurant, opt for a vegetable salad with low-fat dressing, a grilled sandwich without sauces or cheese, or low-fat yogurt and fruit. Fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds and nonfat cheese are heart-healthy alternatives to processed snack foods.

What's your dietary preference?

Gluten Free

Omnivore

Paleo

Vegetarian

Vegan

Which of these foods do you like to eat?

Fruit

Legumes

Meat & Poultry

Fish

Nuts & Seeds

Vegetables

Healthy fats

What kinds of foods would you like to incorporate more in your diet?

Healthy fats

Vegetables

Meat, Poultry & Fish

Grains

Fruits

Which of these fats do you like?

Olive oil

Avocados

Salmon

Olives

Sesame oil

Almonds

Which of these vegetables do you like?

Broccoli

Kale

Carrots

Peppers

Sweet potatoes

Which of these proteins do you like?

Beef

Chicken

Tilapia

Turkey

Eggs

Pork

Which of these grains do you like?

Whole wheat

Brown rice

Oatmeal

Cous Cous

Bulgar

Which of these fruits do you like?

Apples

Bananas

Pears

Kiwis

Oranges

Peaches

Pomegranates

Berries

Which of these foods do you like to eat?

Fish

Nuts

Vegetables

Meat & Poultry

Fruits

These are kinds of fish you can eat on a Paleo diet. Which do you like?

Halibut

Red Snapper

Tilapia

Salmon

These are some nuts you can eat on a Paleo diet. Which do you like?

Almonds

Cashews

Pistacios

Walnuts

These are some vegetables you can eat on a Paleo diet. Which do you like?

Broccoli

Peppers

Kale

Carrots

Lettuce

Cabbage

These are some proteins you can eat on a Paleo diet. Which do you like?

About the Author

Tina M. St. John runs a health communications and consulting firm. She is an also author and editor, and was formerly a senior medical officer with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. St. John holds an M.D. from the Emory University School of Medicine.

Photo Credits

Have Feedback?

Thank you for providing feedback to our Editorial staff on this article. Please fill in the following information so we can alert the Healthy Eating editorial team about a factual or typographical error in this story. All Fields are required.